352 ALALTDID/E. 



according to Hume, throughout the rocky barren hills of Sind and also the 

 Western and N.-W. Punjab, laying during April, May, and June. The nest is 

 placed under a shelf of rock or flat stones upon the ground, and is constructed 

 of grass stalks lined with fine roots. The bird is said to pile up little flat 

 pieces of stone all round the nest. The eggs are oval, rather compressed 

 towards the small end. The ground colour is white, thickly sprinkled with 

 specks and spots of pale yellowish brown. They are 3 4 in number, and 

 vary in size from 0*78 '87 x 0-59 '62. 



895. Ammomanes phoenicura (Frank l.), Jerd., B. Ind. \\. 



p. 421, No. 758 ; Blyth, Cat. B. Mus. As. Soc. Seng., 188 ; Hume, Sir. F. 

 iii. p. 499. Mirafra phoenicura, Franklin, P. Z. S. 1831, p. 731. The 

 RUFOUS-TAILED FINCH-LARK. 



Entire upper surface ashy brown, tinged with rufescent ; rump, upper tail 

 coverts and tail ferruginous ; quills dark brown ; tail ashy brown tipped with 

 dark brown ; primaries and secondaries narrowly edged with pale rufous ; 

 sides of the head mixed ashy brown and pale rufous ; throat pale ferruginous, 

 deeper on the breast, which has a few dusky streaks ; under surface ferru- 

 ginous ; under tail coverts paler and with a dusky spot on the feathers ; inner 

 webs of quills dull ferruginous. Bill horny brown above, fleshy at the base 

 beneath ; legs fleshy ; irides brown. 



Length. 6-5 to 6*8 inches ; wing 4*2 to 4-3 ; tail 2-25 to 2-3 ; culmen 0*9 ; 

 hind claw 0*6. 



Hab. Northern and Central India. Recorded from the Nerbudda (west). 

 Mhow, Saugor, and Jaulnah. Hume says it is common enough in the Sumbul- 

 poor, Jubbulpoor, and Jhansi districts, also in Gwalior, and that it is by no 

 means rare in Etawah, Agra, Aligurh, &c,, and in the eastern portions of 

 Rajpootana, for instance, the Sambhur Lake. In the Punjab and Sind it is 

 replaced by lusitania. Occurs also in parts of Southern India. The 

 breeding season lasts from February to April. The nest is very similar to that 

 of the preceding species, and is made in similar situations. Four is said to be 

 the full complement of eggs, and the colour and markings are almost similar 

 to those o|(0. lusitania. The eggs, however, are 0*77 0^95 XO'56 0-65. 



Gen. Pyrrhulauda. Smith. 



Bill short, very stout, sides compressed ; culmen arched ; commissure 

 straight ; wings long ; tertiaries lengthened ; 1st primary small ; tail moderate ; 

 toes small. 



896. Pyrrhulauda grisea, Scop., Son. Voy.t. 113, 2; Jerd., B. 



Ind. ii. p. 424, No. 760; Hume, Str. F. i. p. 212 ; id., vol. vii. p. 66; Gray, 

 Handlist B. No. 7834; Murray, Hdbk., ZooL, fyc., Sind, p. 186. Pyrrhulauda 

 crucigera, Tern., PL Col. 269, I. THE BLACK- BELLIED FINCH-LARK, 



